The VERY Crowded Congressional District 18 Special Election

So many Democrats, you might need a spreadsheet.

Note: Governor Abbott has called a July 2025 special session to redraw Texas’s congressional map, but those new boundaries won’t take effect until the 2026 general election. Meaning the November special election for TX‑18 will still be held under the current district lines.

I’ve had several people ask me about the special election for Congressional District 18 (TX18) in recent months. Candidates will have until September 18, 2025, to file for the election, and roughly 25 individuals have already filed with the FEC. While there are a few Republicans and Independents who have filed, we won’t discuss them, except for one lady running under the American Solidarity Party. Have you ever heard of this party? They’re anti-abortion, but left on everything else…. it’s very perplexing.

There are 14 Democrats for whom I was able to find websites or social media, so that’s who we’re going to talk about. There were a few other Democrats, whom I couldn’t find a footprint on, but we can revisit this race in September.

To be completely transparent, I’m not currently backing any particular Democrat, but if I decide to endorse in this race, it would likely align with the Houston Progressive Caucus. The policy position I picked to focus on for this article was healthcare.

The three front-runners.

Currently, Christian Menefee appears to be the front-runner, but with a race featuring so many candidates, a runoff is likely. Menefee is the current County Attorney of Harris County and has been a visible and vocal figure on issues ranging from voting rights to environmental justice. His legal challenges against state overreach and his alignment with progressive causes have earned him name recognition and support among Democratic primary voters.

Menefee’s platform is crafted like a progressive wish-list, even calling healthcare “a basic human right.” I would say this is a significant point that sets him apart from the other two front-runners in this race, who both ran during TX18’s last election (or the one before that). During the previous election(s), both Amanda Edwards and Isiah Martin were criticized for not supporting universal healthcare.

Amanda Edwards, one of the other front-runners, is a former Houston City Council member and attorney who also ran for US Senate in 2020. She brings strong credentials, deep ties to the city’s political establishment, and a polished platform focused on economic development, education, and infrastructure. I interviewed her on my podcast in early 2024 and found her to be thoughtful, down-to-earth, and sincerely kind.

I’ve been following Isaiah Martin on TikTok since the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve talked a few times, and I think he has a long and promising career ahead of him. His healthcare plan has evolved since his last election, but it still involves a public option. But, you know, baby steps. Martin’s obvious leg up in this race is his vast social media network, which includes outlets like MeidasTouch, on which he was a guest last week.

Based on the current race, the runoff is likely to be between two of the three candidates listed above. If we’re putting money on it? I would say Menefee and one of the other two. But it’s only July. And anything could change. I mean, four months in campaign world is enough time for million-dollar donations, kingmaker blessings, and scandals so big we’ll be talking about them for years.

Who else is running?

Let’s first talk about familiar names.

Representative Jolanda Jones (HD147) is a latecomer to the race, so she hasn’t had as much time to raise as much money or attend as many events as the others, but come October, she may be another front-runner. Jones has served two terms in the Texas House and has been a fierce fighter on the Democratic side. Before that, she was a member of the Houston City Council and appeared on the reality show Survivor. Additionally, she was an all-American basketball player and track and field athlete. Jones is running on reducing health disparities and expanding Medicaid.

The rest aren’t ranked, except for a slight bias toward the platforms I like best.

Kivan Polmis grew up in Baytown and lives near Emancipation Park. He was a Senior Policy Advisor to Judge Lina Hidalgo, where he led initiatives to reduce homelessness, expand affordable housing, and modernize government systems. His platform is quite impressive, listing universal healthcare, a living wage, and strong union rights as his top three priorities.

Ebony “Rain” Eatmon began her career in community organization by creating the first-ever Garden City Music Festival, which later evolved into the Acres Homes Renaissance Festival. She would later go on to host the first-ever Acres Homes Day Community Celebration. Her platform is creative and artsy, and pretty far to the left. Eatmon talks about eliminating medical debt, nationwide rent control, and an immigration bill of rights.

Corisha Rogers is a grassroots organizer from Houston’s Third Ward. I had the opportunity to hear her speak at the last Texas Progressive Caucus meeting and found her to be impressive. Her platform is people-oriented, focusing on housing affordability, public transportation, and immigration, among other key issues. Regarding healthcare, her website says, “I will commit to protect Medicare and Medicaid.”

Zoe Cadore began her political career as an intern for Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Since then, she’s built a successful career at the intersection of federal policy, community advocacy, and corporate leadership. Her top priority is clean energy, which is a big plus for her. On healthcare, she says, “She’ll fight for affordable, high-quality healthcare for all.”

Robert Slater’s goal is to reclaim Houston’s number one status by prioritizing safety, rejuvenating our economy with a focus on small businesses, and securing federal funding for infrastructure improvements. His website calls “quality, affordable healthcare a right.”

Dr. James Joseph is the director of Civic Engagement and Community Outreach (although his website didn’t specify where). He also serves on the Community Advisory Committee for the Fifth Ward/Kashmere Gardens Cancer Cluster, helping push for environmental justice in an area polluted by creosote. He wants to make healthcare more affordable.

Peter Filler previously ran for TX02 a few years ago. On his website, he says, “Knowing this is a Special Election and this is for a one-year term, what is most important will be working within the confines of the current political reality in Washington, DC.” He also speaks further of a Medicaid expansion.

TJ Baker is an educator with over 25 years of experience. One of the first things you encounter on her website is scripture. She shares a story about how important education, culture, and history are to her. However, she does not have policy positions on her website.

Stephen Huey is a lifelong resident of the 18th District and a small business owner. He spent his youth with his family serving as a Christian missionary in Nigeria. Huey has a lot of good planks on his platform, including protecting democracy, immigration, and education, but doesn’t mention healthcare once.

Selena Samuel is a Democrat running for TX18, and she’d like to make the world a better place.

Two other Democratic candidates, Lavern Crump and Earnest Clayton, I was unable to find a digital footprint on.

That’s the field for now.

We’ll likely see more movement in this race over the next couple of months, whether through endorsements, fundraising shifts, or surprise entrants. I’ll revisit this race in September with an updated breakdown, especially once we know who officially makes the ballot.

The people of TX18 have a big decision ahead, and with so many voices in the mix, it’s going to take some sorting. If I missed a candidate with a platform or campaign page, feel free to send it my way. But I’m fairly confident I’ve tracked down just about everyone this time.

• July 25: First day of special session

• August 23: Last day of special session

• November 4: Constitutional/TX18/SD09 Election

• Who Will Be On The 2026 State Ballot?

• Click here to find out what Legislative districts you’re in.

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